1. Field of the Invention
When a substrate coated with a photocatalyst film is a glass plate, the glass plate is used in a wide range of fields, for example, window glass for architectural windows, windows for LCDs (liquid crystal display) and PDPs (plasma display panel), a glass substrate for DNA analysis that is used in the field of biotechnology, solar cell panel, etc. Further, when a substrate coated with a photocatalyst film is a resin frame, contamination preventive properties are given to such equipment and facilities as portable information tenninal devices, sanitary facilities, medical facilities, electronic devices, etc. Thus, when coated on various kinds of substrates, a photocatalyst film provides properties to the substrate surfaces by which they exhibit very little contamination or any contamination is easily removed. Further, a photocatalyst film has anti-bacteria action and is applicable to bio-medical inspection chips such as a vio chip or a chemical chip. This invention related to an article having a substrate coated with a photocatalyst film a method for preparing the article and sputtering targets for use in coating the film.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 10-66879, glass plates coated with a titanium oxide film, a zinc oxide film or a tungsten oxide film are disclosed as articles with a photocatalyst film formed on substrates and it is stated that these are best suited for containing such metals as platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, tin in this photocatalyst film in order to improve the photocatalyst activity. It is also stated that this photocatalyst film is coated by reactive sputtering in inactive gas containing oxygen using a metal corresponding to metal oxide forming the photocatalyst film as a target.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 11-92176, articles coated with a photocatalyst film comprising titanium oxide, etc. obtained by a sputtering method and containing such metallic ions as platinum, nickel, chrome, cobalt, tin, niobium, tantalum doped into its surface by the ion implanting method as disclosed.
Further, in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 11-60281, a photocatalyst glass with a first layer of SiO2 film containing Al2O formed on the surface of a soda lime silica glass and a second layer comprising TiO2 as a main component formed thereon is disclosed. It is also stated that it is better to mix a metal oxide of Al2O3, P2O5, B2O, ZrO2, P2O5, SnO2, or Ta2O into the TiO2 film thoroughly for the purpose of improving film minuteness, film strength, and alkali resistance, giving conductivity and cutting ultraviolet rays. It is further stated that these metallic oxide films are coated by thermally decomposing such organic metallic compounds as metallic alkoxide, metallic acetylacetonate, etc.
Further, in FIG. 1 of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 10-330131, a photocatalyst coated glass article having a good hydrophilic multi-layer structure comprising an Si2 base layer, a TiO2 photocatalyst layer and an SiO2 top layer formed on a plate glass is disclosed. It is stated that this photocatalyst layer comprises mainly titanium oxide with Al2O, Y2O, Ta2O5 and La2O5 intermixed. It is also stated that these photocatalyst metallic oxide layers are laminated and formed by an electron beam vaporization method.
Out of the existing technology described above, the photocatalyst film disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 10-66879 has such metals as platinum, palladium, etc. mixed in a titanium oxide film in order to increase photocatalyst activity. However, in the oxygen reactive sputtering method using a metal target of titanium, there was such a problem that it was difficult to contain a fixed amount of platinum or palladium as a catalyst activity improving agent in the metallic state without oxidizing the platinum or palladium while oxidizing titanium when coating a titanium oxide film containing such metals as platinum. Further, in the sputtering method using a target of titanium oxide, there was such a problem that it was difficult to a manufacture oxide sintered matter having metallic powder of platinum dispersed uniformly therein.
In the doping of metallic ion by the ion implanting method disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 11-92176, there were such problems that 1) excessive or insufficient doping giving uneven density resulted as metallic ions were dispersed in the depth direction of a film so that uniform doping of the film was impossible, 2) the grid disorder around the substituting side of the implanted metal becomes large and as a result, a dopant does not only function as a donor or an acceptor but also a drop of the photocatalyst activity is caused by increase of recombination center, 3) an amount of ions implanted cannot be greatly increased, 4) several kinds of dopants cannot be implanted at a time while controlling their densities, and 5) as metallic ions are used for doping by ion implantation, it is difficult to apply the metallic ion doping to large sized substrates such as structural window glasses, solar cell panels that are installed on the roof of a house, or glass plates used in relatively large displays.
In the existing technology stated in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 11-60281, there was such a problem that after coating organic metallic compounds such a metal alkoxide, metallic acetylacetonate, etc. on a substrate, it was necessary to heat the substrate at a high temperature of 500xcx9c600xc2x0 C., so this technology could not be applied to thermally restricted substrates such as resin made substrates.
Further, the photocatalyst layer of the existing technology shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 10-330131 is laminated and coated by an electron beam vaporization method and it is therefore difficult to apply this technology to large substrates such as, for example, a structural window glass, a solar cell panel installed on a roof of a house, and a relatively large display unit.
This invention is made for solving problems involved in the existing technologies described above and it is a first object to provide articles having more improved photocatalyst activity. A second object of this invention is to provide an article having improved photocatalyst activity even when the surface is large. A third object of this invention is to provide a photocatalyst function to the surface of a substrate even when its thermal resistance is relatively weak. A fourth object of this invention is to provide a method to efficiently coat a substrate with an improved photocatalyst film.
This invention relates to an article having a substrate with a photocatalyst coating film formed thereon by a sputtering method, characterized in that the photocatalyst coating film comprises: 1) titanium oxide as a main component and 2) at least one kind of metal having a sputtering rate for Ar, which has at least one kind of energy in the ion energy are of 100 to 2000 eV, being 0.9 to 2.7 times that of Ti, preferably at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, V, Mo, Nb, Al and Cr.
The photocatalyst film of this invention contains titanium oxide as a main component and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, V Mo, Nb, Al and Cr as a component in a small amount. In order to improve the photocatalyst activity of titanium oxide, one or more than two kinds of metals can be contained.
Generally, the improvement of the photocatalyst activity of titanium oxide by metal ion doping has been studied for a long time, and many metals have been examined as additive metals having the effect of improving the photocatalyst activity (for example, xe2x80x9cChemical Introduction 39, Inorganic Photochemicalxe2x80x9d, 1st Edition, Page 128, Gakkai Shuppan Center, 1983, xe2x80x9cTitanium Oxidexe2x80x9d, 1st Edition, Page 178, Gihodo, 1991). The reason for the improvement of the photocatalyst activity of titanium oxide by these metals is not clear but is considered that these metal atoms are replaced by some of the titanium atoms bonding to oxygen in the titanium oxide, the coordinating state of the atoms changes, resulting in an increase in active catalyst sites (for example, a defective site in a so-called dangling bonded state wherein the coordination of the atoms is cut and part of electrons belonging to oxygen or titanium are placed in the free state having no bonding mate). It is also considered that the catalytic action is improved when the density of easily exciting electrons and electron holes is increased even at room temperature as a result of metallic doping.
This invention relates to an article having a substrate and a photocatalyst coating film formed thereon by the sputtering method. The present inventors confirmed that effective improvement of photocatalyst activity could not be recognized simply by doping a titanium oxide film with well known metals by an ordinary method only and as a result of detailed study, found that the problem can be solved by preparing a photocatalyst film by two methods described below.
The inventors found two methods for forming a photocatalyst coating file: 1) a method for forming a film by the sputtering method using a Ti metal sputtering target or a Ti sub-oxide sputtering target containing at least one kind of metal having a sputtering rate (also called a sputter rate) for Ar, which has at least one kind of energy in the ion energy area of 100 to 2000 eV, being 0.9 to 2.7 times that of Ti, preferably at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, V, Mo, Nb, Al and Cr, in an amount of 0.01 to 10 wt % in terms of the sum of such metals and 2) a method for forming a film by the sputtering method by providing two kinds of targets for two sputtering cathodes and applying reversing potential so as to have a cathode and an anode alternately.
In the method 1, a metal for doping a titanium oxide sputtering film is at least one kind of metal having sputtering rate for Ar, which has at least one kind of energy in 100 to 2000 eV ion energy area, being 0.9 to 2.7 times of that of Ti, preferably at least one kind of metal selected from the group of Fe, V, Mo, Nb, Al and Cr.
A metal doped titanium oxide film is formed on a substrate using a Ti metal sputtering target or a Ti sub-oxide sputtering target containing this metal in an amount of 0.0l to 10 wt % in terms of the sum of such metals by a reactive sputtering method using oxygen gas or an ordinary sputtering method. At this time, if the sputtering rate of the metal differs from that of Ti, the composition of the sputtering target may become largely different from that of the formed film. An uneven metal doping, that is, a metal segregation is caused and the improvement of the photocatalyst activity is impeded. Therefore, the sputtering rate of the doping metal should be 0.9 to 2.7 times that of Ti, preferably 0.9 to 2.3 times. If the sputtering rate of the metal is less than 0.9 times that of Ti, the film composition becomes Ti rich, which is not preferable, and the metal doping effect is scarcely displayed. If larger than 2.7 times, the film composition becomes metal rich and metal segregation is recognized. This is also not preferable as the improvement of the photocatalyst activity is impeded. Such change in composition and metal segregation can be further suppressed when the sputtering rate of the metal is made smaller than 2.3 times that of Ti.
A sputtering method in a pressure reduced argon containing gas or a reactive sputtering method in oxygen plasma using pressure reduced mixed gas containing argon and oxygen using a metal corresponding to such oxide as a target can be adopted as a sputtering method. As a means for generating discharge plasma in the above sputtering method, DC glow discharge, intermediate frequency glow discharge, or high frequency glow discharge can be used. In the sputtering method using a metal as a target, it is desirable to use oxygen in an amount of 10 to 1000% in terms of the sum of argon and oxygen. The sputtering is better performed under a reduced pressure of 0.07 to 7 Pa.
For a sub-oxide target that is used for implanting more than two kinds of metals in a photocatalyst coating film, a mixed powder of metal oxide or compound metal oxide powder can be used. According to the degree of conductivity of the target that is obtained, either DC or AC or a high frequency power source is used. As a metal target, an alloy target or a mixed metal target of powdered sintered matter is used.
The method 2 described above is a method for sputtering two targets at the same time. In this method, two cathodes having metal or metal oxide sputtering targets forming a photocatalyst coating film are arranged adjacent to each other and glow discharge plasma is generated by applying voltage by reversing the polarities of these cathodes alternately so that one cathode becomes the positive pole when the other is the negative pole or vice versa, thereby sputtering two targets simultaneously.
At this time, if the sputtering rate of the metal differs largely from that of Ti, the target composition and the formed film composition become largely different or uneven metal doping, that is, metal segregation is caused and the improvement of the photocatalyst activity is impeded. So, for the same reason as in the method 1, the sputtering rate of the doping metal should be 0.9 to 2.7 times that of Ti, preferably 0.9 to 2.3 times.
In the above two sputtering methods, a more crystalline catalyst film can be coated on a substrate even at a low temperature by forming the film while applying the plasma to the film by applying a bias voltage to the substrate or closing the distance between the substrate and targets.
Further, when coating the photocatalyst film on a substrate having a relatively large surface, for example, a window glass plate for a structure, it is preferable to coat the substrate by passing in front of a sputtering target for coating a uniformly thick film on the entire substrate.
In this invention, when metals are distributed uniformly in a sputtering target in advance, or when two kinds of targets in different compositions are sputtered simultaneously, a uniform film composition can be achieved. As the film can be coated using the method 1 or 2, there are no such problems as non-uniformity of metals that becomes a problem in the ion implanting method, drop in photocatalyst activity caused by the grating disorder of titanium oxide, control of metal doping amount, difficulty of doping of plural metals, etc. Further, as this is a sputtering method, it is easy to apply to a substrate having a large surface area such as a window glass of a structure, a solar cell panel installed on a house roof, or a glass plate that is used for a relatively large display unit and, also, is suited to bio chips and chemical chips for which highly uniform quality is demanded.
A specific example of a doping metal in this invention is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, V, Mo, Nb, Al and Cr. Of these metals, Fe, V, Mo, Nb and Cr act as donors in a titanium oxide film, supply electrons and contribute to improvement of photocatalyst activity by increasing carrier density. Aluminum acts as an accelerator in the titanium oxide, supplies electron holes and also contributes to the improvement of photocatalyst activity by the increase in carrier density. Of these metals, Fe, KV and Mo have a large effect in improving catalytic activity, are stable, and are especially preferable.
When using a donor and an acceptor simultaneously, if they are simply mixed, carriers supplied by them offset each other when generated and are not preferable. It is therefore preferred to separate the existing areas of a donor and an acceptor in the film in the direction of depth so that different kinds of generated carriers do not bind again. according to a crystallographic study by the X-ray diffraction analytical method of the photocatalyst film of this invention, the photocatalyst film can exhibit various kinds of crystal structure. For example, a titanium oxide anatase structure, a mixed structure of microcrystalline and amorphous anatase titanium oxide, a mixed structure of anatase crystal and rutile crystal, and a structure containing a considerable amorphous layer can be taken. In any film structure, the photocatalyst activity is larger than that of a structure composed of a single component of titanium oxide.
The photocatalyst film of this invention does not necessarily require complete crystallinity. it is sufficient if there is a certain order of intermediate distance in the grating group of titanium oxide. In the photocatalyst film of this invention, in connection to an energy band structure followed by electrons and electron holes, if the quantum density at the edge portion of the energy band is in a slightly dim state for the amorphous structure, the photocatalyst activity is rather large. From this, in the photocatalyst film of this invention, absorption of light containing visible light in a long wavelength and generation of a carrier take place when compared with titanium oxide alone.
The content of the metal oxide in a small amount in the photocatalyst film in terms of the sum of such metal oxide is preferred at 0.01 to 10 wt % on the metal base in the film. At a content of 0.01 to 10 wt %, the catalyst activity improving effect is scarcely recognized and when exceeding 10 wt %, the intermediate distance order of the grating structure of titanium oxide is disturbed remarkably, the moving distance of the photocatalyst carrier becomes short, and the photocatalyst activity becomes small. Therefore, a content above 10 wt % is not preferable.
Kinds of substrates that are used in this invention are not limited particularly but, for example, such inorganic materials as glass ceramics, quartz, metallic materials such as aluminum and stainless steel, and resin materials such as polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, silicone, polystyrene, polyimide etc. can be used.
When light is applied to an article of this invention, the photocatalyst film is excited and such actions as antibacterial, deodorization, decomposition of organic articles, and hydrophilic operation are displayed. Thus, the articles of this invention are given properties whereby the surface is scarcely contaminated or contamination is easily removed and bacteria or viruses are rarely bred.
The metal contained in the photocatalyst film of this invention as a main component coated on a substrate for improving the photocatalystic activity can be distributed uniformly in the direction of the thickness of the titanium oxide photocatalyst film or distributed in different amounts in the thickness direction. When distributing a different amount in the thickness direction, a greater amount shall be distributed to the side of the photocatalyst film close to the substrate or a greater amount may be distributed to the side of the photocatalyst film receiving the light opposite to the substrate side.
To make the content of the above metal different in the direction of thickness of the photocatalyst film, a metal film or a metal oxide film or a titanium oxide film containing metal is formed on a substrate and a titanium oxide film is laminated thereon or a titanium oxide film is formed on a substrate and a laminated article is formed by laminating a titanium oxide film containing the above-mentioned metal or a metal oxide thereon, and implanting a metal into the titanium oxide film through the surface of this laminated article by the thermal diffusion method. The photocatalyst film thus obtained is able to accelerate the diffusion of impurities and film crystallization simultaneously. With a metal as an additive in the direction of thickness of the film, it is possible to diffuse the carrier polarity by making the energy band structure asymmetrical while providing an inclined concentration. As a result, the film can be made to have a high catalyst activity preventing the recombination quenching in a film. This is particularly preferable when using the photocatalyst film for solar cell elements.
A metal can be contained in a photocatalyst by thermal diffusion. One method is to heat a substrate when forming a laminated material on the substrate and another method is to post heat a laminated material formed on a substrate. Both of these methods can be used. In order to contain metal oxide in a photocatalyst film by thermal diffusion, the temperature of a substrate when coating on a laminated material is normally above 150xc2x0 C. and it is better to beat the substrate to 250xc2x0 C. or above. Further, to diffuse and contain a metal in a laminated material formed on a substrate by post-heating, it is normally more preferable to heat the substrate to 150xc2x0 C. or above. The upper limit of the heating temperature in both methods can be decided in a range so as not to damage the substrate.
The thickness of a photocatalyst film comprising titanium oxide as a main component should be set at more than 20 nm in order to provide photocatalyst activity at a level considered practical. Also, a thickness of below 2000 nm is preferred from the economical viewpoint inasmuch as the photocatalyst activity does not increase even at a thickness greater than 2000 nm.
This invention is to provide a Ti metal sputtering target or a Ti sub-oxide sputtering target containing at least one metal selected from the group of metals at 0.01 to 10 wt % of the sum of such metals. These targets are useful for forming the metallic ion doped photocatalyst film and are capable of efficiently and stably supplying photocatalyst films having high photocatalyst activity.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.